Project Manager R&D

Oerlikon Group; Lavamünd; Vor Ort; EUR 70.000 - 100.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

Oerlikon in Austria seeks a driven researcher to advance development of PVD wear-protective surface solutions, from concept to implementation, collaborating with experts across functions and regions, and working with customers to create impactful coatings.

The role emphasizes project leadership, hands-on experimentation, and transferring processes to production, with opportunities to influence product launches and cross-functional teams.

Qualifikationen

• Master’s degree or PhD in physics, materials science, engineering, or a comparable technical discipline.
• Several years of experience in development and characterization of wear-protective nitride, carbide, oxide, boride, or comparable hard coatings.
• Knowledge of thin-film deposition technologies, ideally including PVD arc, sputtering, and/or PACVD processes.
• Experience with suitable pre- and post-treatment techniques is a strong advantage.
• Experience leading or contributing to development projects in an industrial or applied R&D environment.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate technical topics into clear messages for different audiences.

Aufgaben

• Take ownership of product development projects focused on PVD wear protective surface solutions, from understanding application requirements to defining coating properties and evaluating optimal pre- and post-treatment processes.
• Create and verify innovative, high-performance, and cost-effective surface solutions that help our customers improve productivity, reliability, and performance.
• Plan and steer development projects, ensuring transparent communication of progress, costs, risks, and timelines in line with our project management standards.
• Validation and transfer of new processes into production in close cooperation with internal teams and external customers.
• Contribute with your technical expertise during product launches and implementation, working closely with Marketing, Sales, and Production.

Kenntnisse

Project management

Communication

Collaboration

Presentation skills

Ausbildung

Master's or PhD in physics/materials science/engineering

Tools

PVD arc

Sputtering

PACVD processes

Jobbeschreibung

Are you passionate about advanced materials, thin-film technologies, and turning innovative ideas into high-performance coating solutions?
Join our international R&D team and help shape the next generation of surface solutions for demanding industrial applications. In this role, you will drive development projects from concept to implementation, work closely with experts across functions and regions, and collaborate directly with internal and external customers to create solutions with real impact.

Your Responsibilities

• Take ownership of product development projects focused on PVD wear protective surface solutions, from understanding application requirements to defining coating properties and evaluating optimal pre- and post-treatment processes
• Create and verify innovative, high-performance, and cost-effective surface solutions that help our customers improve productivity, reliability, and performance
• Plan and steer development projects, ensuring transparent communication of progress, costs, risks, and timelines in line with our project management standards
• Validation and transfer of new processes into production in close cooperation with internal teams and external customers
• Contribute with your technical expertise during product launches and implementation, working closely with Marketing, Sales, and Production

Your Profile

• Master’s degree or PhD in physics, materials science, engineering, or a comparable technical discipline
• Several years of experience in the development and characterization of wear-protective nitride, carbide, oxide, boride, or comparable hard coatings
• Knowledge of thin-film deposition technologies, ideally including PVD arc, sputtering, and/or PACVD processes
• Experience with suitable pre- and post-treatment techniques is a strong advantage
• Experience leading or contributing to development projects in an industrial or applied R&D environment
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate technical topics into clear messages for different audiences
• A proactive, structured, and collaborative working style, combined with curiosity and a hands‑on mindset
• Willingness to travel internationally up to 20%
• Fluent written and spoken English; German language skills are an advantage

We offer

• An international R&D environment where you can shape future coating technologies and contribute to solutions used in demanding industrial applications
• Close collaboration with experienced experts across technology, production, sales, and customer‑facing teams
• The opportunity to take ownership, bring in your ideas, and see your developments move from lab‑scale concepts to real‑world implementation

Contact

Phone: [phone]

About Oerlikon

Oerlikon is a global leader in surface technologies and advanced materials. With a unique portfolio spanning surface engineering, high-performance materials, coating equipment and components, we make products better by enhancing performance, efficiency and sustainability. Oerlikon serves a wide range of industries, including aerospace, automotive, energy, medical, luxury, semiconductors and tooling. Head‑quartered in Pfäffikon, Switzerland, Oerlikon operates in 38 countries with around10,000 employees, achieving sales of CHF 1.6 billion in 2025.

We offer a wide variety of job profiles in a dynamic, supportive environment where people are empowered to grow and reach their full potential — guided by our core values of integrity, team spirit, excellence and innovation.